For all those devices we depend on, someone did a test to find the best batteries.

Battery test

Too bad I bought my last alkaline battery about 6 months ago - have transitioned entirely to rechargeable eneloops. My alkaline AAs are intended solely for smoke alarm back up batteries.

I do have some lithiums on the shelf purchased ~6 years back; useful if I need some AAs and don't have access to chargers. But in 99.99% of scenarios, I can recharge my eneloops.

Alkalines are my backups too. If my device will take them, I use rechargeable Li-Ion 14500's as the preferred power source. If not, NiMH Eneloops are used. Alkalines are used only for emergency backups for me (and for the extremely rare device that won't work with NiMH). I throw Alkalines into carry bags, tuck them into car glove boxes, etc. Pretty much they never get used, but are there as emergency spares.

So based on "emergency spare use only" for me, I buy alkalines based on price, not performance. Usually that means Costco ("Kirkland") brand alkalines.

I won't buy alkaline AAs any more, especially for emergency and backup. They don't last as long as lithiums in storage, and they leak.

Kirklands represented a good value in a study by Consumers Union about a year ago. But alkalines ar essentially an obsolete technology. What about a study evaluating rechargeables? Over their service life, they are almost certainly much cheaper....

Yup,always liked the Kirkland.....back in the day.

Eneloops here now.

Defenitely lithiums. But it would be interesting to see some unbiased reviews of the new Energizers with the claimed 10-year shelf life. About the only way I will use alkalines anymore is if I know they won't be in the device long. Cleaning up after a battery leak is a pain.

Hmmmm. That is interesting. Thanks.

battery testing

Isn't this the same test referred to in a current thread?

i'm with everyone else here:

-eneloops for everyday

-lithiums for storage in survival kits

-kirkland aklalines for back-ups only

Where is everyone purchasing their lithiums?

I need to get rid of my packages of Duracells. I've had 4 devices recently get damaged by leaking Duracells that were well within their usable date.

Walmart

I buy from batteryjunction.com. I have no affiliation with them other than as a happy customer.

Yup,one of my puck lights had a trusty leaky alkaline in it,what useless batteries they are!

sorry about your puck light, spuds.

yep, i've lost too many items to aklalines (and zincs) over the last 50+ years. even worse is to grab an item you need for immediate use, then find it unfunctional due to said leakage.

the only time i use alkalines anymore is when rechargeables aren't available, and i can remove the leaky b*st*rds once the task is accomplished.

and to answer the last question: i buy all my eneloops and lithiums on amazon.

I hear ya,only things I trusted alkalines in were high energy devices that wore em out in a day or so,like the Garmin GPS or walkie talkies....then I didnt have to remember if they were in an item or not,they were removed as soon as they died.How did my flashlights ever survive those things???

Puck light came with em,and snuck past me,oh well,they were dirt cheap fortunately.

Amazes me they cant make em that dont leak.

They can, you (and I) just won't buy them at the price they have to sell them at. Lithiums are much cheaper.


I use alkalines all the time and haven't had problems with them in years. Except when I used the energizers that came with a flashlight. 2 months later they ate up the light. At least they replaced it.

I use duracell AA in the 10 or so flashlights around the house and in the cars (mostly 3 AA maglight led's that I bought at Sam's for 3.50 ea). In the house I replace them once a year and in the cars once every 6 months. The old ones that are still good I use up in high drain items that they only last a few days or less. Throw them when they are low.

I do keep lithiums as backups, for my edc light (a Maratac 1AA), in hard to replace items (my wind speed and rainfall sensors).


Respectfully,

Jerry